Occlusal-plane gage.



w. c. DAL BEY. OCCLUSAL PLANE GAGE.

APPLICATION FILED IAN-18,1913.

1,188,416 PatentedJime 27,1916.

Witnedsed nnrrnn i;

WILLIAM c. DALBEY, or. DUQUOIN, ILLInoIs, AssIenon are THE onnvnnannDENTAL MANUFACTURING COMPANY, on CLEVELAND, OHIO, A CORPORATION or OHIO.

OCCLUSAL-PLANE GAGE.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented June 27, 1916.

Application filed January 18, 1913. Serial No. 742.810.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM C, Di'xnnnv, a citizen of the United States,residing at Duquoin, in the county of Perry and State of Illinois, haveinvented a certain new and useful Improvement in Occlusal-Plane Gages,of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to an occlusal plane gage or to an instrumentwhich is adapted to be attached or applied by a dentist to the head of apatient for the purpose of'establishing the occlusal plane, and to aidhim in making anatomically articulated artificial dentures.

Prior to my invention, it has been customary for dentists to determinethe occlusal plane by first drawing a line on the face of the patientfrom the lowermost point of the external meatus of the ear to thelowermost point of the ala of the nose. This line, disregarding a slighterror which my improved gage corrects or eliminates, is parallel to theocclusal plane which is located below the said line gth of an inch belowthe upper lip at rest. Then the dentist would endeavor to shape or levelto the octermined with accuracy; the meatus-ala line drawn on the faceof the patient is distorted when the mouth is opened; it isobjectionable to the patient to draw the line on his or her face; it isoften the case that the line cannot be drawn, particularly if thepatient has a beard, and the shape of the line which is necessarilycurved about the cheek, and also the position of the dentist or operatorin manipulating the blade of the instrument while shaping the trialplate, render it almost impossible to obtain the best results.

By my invention, the above mentioned. disadvantages and objections areentirely eliminated. More specifically, it is one of the objects of thepresent invention .to provide a gage or instrument which can be attachedto the head or face of the patient, and by which the occlusal plane canbe established, easily, quickly, accurately, and without discommoding ordiscomforting the patient.

A further object is to provide a gage which not only establishes orlocates the occlusal plane, but constitutes a base or abutment againstwhich an instrument can be placed so as to be maintained in theocclusalplane ,-while the trial plate is being shaped or leveled therebyto the occlusal plane.

My invention may be briefly summarized as consisting in certain noveldetails of construction and combinations and arrangements of parts whichwill be described in the specification and set forth in the appendedclaims.

In the accompanying sheet of drawings wherein I have shown the preferredembodiment of my invention, Figure 1 is a perspective view showing themanner in which the gage is applied to the face or head of the patient,and the manner in which the gage is used in shaping or leveling thetrial plate to the occlusal plane; Fig. 2 is a perspective view of thegage.

Referring now to the drawings, it will be members or bars 10 and 11,consisting of rather thin fiat strips, which at their forward ends arepivotally connected together by a pin 12 or screw, and at their rearends are provided with tubular conical members 13 which are adapted tobe inserted in the external openings of the ears of the patient. Theconical members are hollow so as not to affect the patients hearingwhile the instrument is in use. These side members 10 and 11 conform tothe general lines of the face and project forwardly beyond the face, thefront portions converging in substantially straight lines tothe pivotalconnecting pin 12. The front ends of the members 10 and 11 adjacent thepivotal pin 12 are each offset so that both these side members lie inthe same plane. The side members are connected and yieldingly pulledtoward each together by two nose clamping or engaging portions includinga straight bar or piece 15 which is adapted to engage beneath or againstthe base of the nasal septum. This I bar 15 is pivotally connected toone of the side members by a pin or screw 16 and at its other end has asliding connection with the other side member. This is preferablyaccomplished by giving the said opposite end a forked or bifurcated formby securing to the lower side of the cross bar or member 15 a strip 17of flexible material. A clamping or adjusting screw 18 passes betweenthe outer free end of the cross bar 15 and of the strip 17 and by meansof this screw, the two side members may be clamped in any position ofadjustment. The side members 10 and 11 are also bridged or connected byan upper cross bar 19 which is located above and slightly to the rear ofthe cross bar 15 and is arched as shown, this cross member 19 beingadapted to engage the bridge of the nose as shown in Fig. 1. This.member is supported on a pair of upright pins 20 which extend upwardlyfrom the two side members and pass through elongated slots 21 providedin the member 19 near its ends. Coil springs 22 surrounding the pinspress the.

member upwardly against adjusting nuts 23 which engage suitably threadedupper ends of the pins 20 and enable the cross bar 19 to be adjusted tothe proper height relative to the lower cross bar 15, and so as torender the instrument adaptable to any nasal characteristics.

When the instrument so far described has been secured upon the face orhead of the patient,'with the conical tubular members 13 in the externalopenings of the ears, and the cross members 15 and 19 engagingrespectively the bottom of the nasal septum and the bridge ofthe nose,the side members 10 and 11 are in a plane which is parallel to theocclusal plane, or in other words, in the plane which heretoforedentists have endeavored to establish or locate by drawing a line acrossthe face of the patient from the lowermost point of the external meatusof the ear to the lowermost point of the ala of the nose. I havediscovered, however, that the plane of the line heretofore drawn on theface of the patient between the two stated points is not preciselyparallel to the occlusal plane, and that the plane of the line should befrom a point slightly below the lowermost point of the external meatusof the ear, to the lowermost point of the ala of the nose. In myimproved gage, this slight error is corrected, and the side members arepro erly located with reference to the occlusal p ane, or are accuratelyparallel thereto when the gage is applied to a patient.

Depending from one of the side members of the gage are a pair of pins24, which extend downwardly at right angles thereto, and which carry apair of inwardly or laterally projecting gage fingers 25 which aresecured to the pins by set screws 26 in a manner such that they may beadjusted vertically or toward and away from the side members. These gagefingers will be adjusted by the dentist the correct distance from theside member, so that the instrument or tool (shown by dotted lines at27) which is used in shaping the trial plate in the mouth of the patientwill have its working face in the true occlusal plane. In other words,these members will be adjusted along their respective pins 24: so thatthey or the lower faces thereof are in a plane parallel to the sidemembers 10 and 11, and th of an inch beneath the upper lip at rest.These fingers 25 therefore constitute abutments against which a suitableinstrument 27 may be held, and retained in the occlusal plane, while thetrial plate or one side thereof is being accurately shaped or leveled tothe occlusal plane.

The side members 10 and 11 are preferably provided with a suitablenumber of openings 28 which enable the parts to be adjusted whennecessary forwardly or rearwardly, by simply placing or attaching thesupporting pins or screws, such as the pins 20 and 2 1-, in differentopenings. This feature, together with the other features ofconstruction, including the adj ustability of the angle between the sidebars or members 10 and 11,

and the adjustability of the upper cross bar 19, give the instrument thenecessary wide range of adjustment.

While I have shown merely the preferred form of the gage, it will beapparent that the same may be modified in many respects withoutmaterially affecting its purpose or efliciency, and I do not wish to beconfined to any details of constructin, except so far as I am expresslylimited by the terms of the appended claims.

Having thus described what I claim is:

1. An occlusal plane gage for use in making anatomically articulatedartificial dentures adapted to be attached to the head of a patient, andcomprising car engaging means, nose engaging means comprising a partadapted to engage the base of the nasal septum and a pair of sidemembers conmy invention,

nected to and extending between both the car and the nose engagingmeans, and lying in a plane having a predetermined relationship withrespect to the occlusal plane when the gage is applied to the head ofthe patient.

2. An occlusal plane gage for use in making anatomically articulatedartificial dentures, adapted to be attached to the head of a patient,and comprising ear engaging means, nose engaging means, and meansconnected to both the ear and the nose engaging means, and lying in aplane parallel to the occlusal plane when the gage is applied to thehead of the patient, said means having beneath the same and supportedtherefrom an abutment adjustable toward and away from said member.

3. An occlusal plane gage for use in making anatomically articulatedartificial dentures, adapted to be attached to the head of a patient,and comprising a pair of side members, the rear portions of said membershaving ear engaging members adapted to be inserted in the externalopenings of the ears and having forwardly of the same, a nose engagingmember adapted to engage the bottom of the nasal septum, said sidemembers lying in a plane having a fixed. relationship with respect tothe occlusal plane when the gage is applied to the head of a patient.

4. An occlusal plane gage for use in making anatomically articulatedartificial dentures, adapted to be attached to the head of the patient,and comprising a pair of side members having ear engaging membersadapted to be inserted in the external openings of the ears and havingforwardly of the same nose engaging means adapted to engage the bottomof the nasal septum, said side members lying in a plane having apredetermined relation to the occlusal plane when the gage is applied tothe head of a patient, and one of said side members having dependingtherefrom an abutment adjustable toward and away from said side member.

5. An occlusal plane gage for use in making anatomically articulatedartificial dentures, adapted tobe attached to the head of'a patient, andcomprising a pair of side members having ear engaging means adapted tobe inserted in the external openings of the ears and having forwardly ofthe same nose engaging members, one arranged below the other and adaptedto engage the bottom of the nasal septum, said side members lying in aplane having a predetermined relation to the occlusal plane when thegage is attached to the head of a patient.

6. An occlusal plane gage for use in making anatomically articulatedartificial dentures, adapted to be attached to the head of a patient,and comprising a pair of side members provided at their rear ends withinwardly projecting members adapted to be inserted in the externalopenings of the ears, said side members having between the front andrear ends cross members including a lower member adapted to engage thebase of the nasal septum, and an upper member adapted to engage thenasal bridge, and means whereby said upper cross member may be adjustedtoward and away from the said side members, the said side members lyingin a plane having a definite relation with respect to the occlusal planewhen the gage is attached to the head of the patient.

7. An occlusal plane gage for use in makmembers converging forwardly andpivot-' ally connected together at their front ends and having at theirrear. ends inwardly projecting members adapted to engage in the externalopenings of the ears, and a pair of nose engaging cross membersextending between the side members, including a lower cross memberadapted to engage the base of the nasal septum, and an upper crossmember at the rear of the lower cross member adapted to engage the nasalbridge, means whereby said upper cross member may be moved toward andaway from the lower cross member, said side members lying in a planehaving a predetermined re lationship with respect to the occlusal planewhen the gage is applied to the head of a patient.

8. An occlusal plane gage for use in main ing anatomically articulatedartificial dentures, adapted to be attached to the head of a patient,and comprising a pair of side members converging forwardly and pivotallyconnected together at their front ends and having at their rear endsinwardly projecting members adapted to engage in the external openingsof the ears, means'yieldingly pressing the side members together, a pairof nose engaging cross members extending between the side members,including a lower cross member adapted to engage the base of the nasalseptum, and an upper cross member adapted to engage the nasal bridge,means whereby said upper cross member may be moved toward and away fromthe lower cross member, said side members lying in a plane having apredetermined relationship with respect to the occlusal plane when thegage is applied to the head of a patient, and one of said side membershaving beneath the same gage means adjustable toward and away from theside member, and extending parallel to the plane of said side members.

9. An occlusal plane gage for use in making anatomically articulatedartificial dentures, adapted to be attached to the head of a patient,and comprising a pair of forwardly converging side members pivotallyconnected at their forward ends and having at their rear ends, inwardlyprojecting members adapted to be inserted in the external openings ofthe ears, and provided between the forward and rear ends with two noseengaging cross members, including a lower cross member adapted to engagethe base of the nasal septum, and an upper cross member adapted toengage the nasal bridge and adjustable toward and away from the sidehaving a predetermined relationship with respect to the occlusal planewhen the gage is in position on the head of a patient.

10. An occlusal plane gage for use in making anatomically articulatedartificial dentures, adapted to be attached to the head of a patient,and comprising a pair of forwardly converging side members pivotallyconnected at their forward ends and having at their rear ends tubular,conical, inwardly projecting members adapted to be inserted in theexternal openings of the ears, and provided between the forward and rearends with two nose engaging cross members, including a lower crossmember extending directly between the said members and adapt-v ed toengage the base of the nasal septum, and an arched upper cross memberadapted to engage the nasal bridge, and adjustable toward and away fromthe side members, means yieldingly pressing the side members together,the lower cross member having means for clamping the side members at anyangle, the said side members lying in a plane having a predeterminedrelationship with respect to the occlusal plane when the gage is inposition on the head of a patient, and

one of the side members having beneath the same gage means adjustabletoward and away from the side members and lying in a plane parallel tothe plane of said side members.

11. An occlusal plane gage for use in making anatomically articulatedartificial dentures, adapted to be attached to the head of a patient andcomprising a pair of side members pivotally connected at their forwardends so that they may be moved toward and from each other at their rearends, and provided at said ends with ear engaging means, and betweentheir ends with nose engaging means extending between the side members.

12. An occlusal plane gage for use in making anatomically articulatedartificial dentures adapted to be attached to the head of a patient andcomprising a pair of side members provided at their rear ends with earengaging means and provided forwardly of the ear engaging means withnose engaging means, said nose engaging means including a lower memberadapted to engage the base of the nasal septum, and an upper memberadapted to engage the upper part of the nose.

In testimony whereof, I hereunto afliX my signature in the presence oftwo witnesses.

WILLIAM C. DALBEY. Witnesses:

C. M. BERGMAN, H. WORTHINGTON.

Gopieai of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, byaddressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G.

